SwissEdu⁺
Swiss Digital Higher Education
Swiss Education. Partner University–Awarded Qualifications.
Swiss education has long been regarded as a benchmark for academic excellence and credibility; however, not every learner has the financial means to study directly or pursue full-time education in Switzerland. So how can costs be optimised while learners still experience the full SIMI Swiss Direct™ model?
This is where SwissEdu™ finds its purpose.
SwissEdu⁺ is a Swiss digital higher education platform, developed on three core pillars: standardisation, digitalisation, and cross-recognition through Mapping Plus.
The (+) symbol next to SwissEdu represents the Mapping Plus model, enabling programmes to be flexibly recognised by partner universities, while also symbolising the cross on the Swiss national flag.
With its unlimited cross-recognition capability, SwissEdu⁺ enables partner universities to assess learning outcomes, recognise achievements, facilitate progression, and award qualifications based on learners’ demonstrated competencies.
SwissEdu⁺
Trusted International Partnerships
Study within Swiss education standards, earn qualifications awarded by partner institutions, and optimise tuition costs.
SwissEdu⁺ Introduction Video
Swiss Academic Experience
Graduate with a Swiss Private Degree and a UK Gov-recognised qualification for global recognition.
National Occupational Skills
Aligned with the UK National Occupational Standards (NOS) for real-world employability.
Partner-Awarded Qualifications
Earn qualifications awarded by trusted, internationally recognised academic partners.
SIMI Swiss Live Class Direct™
Study directly with SIMI Swiss — no intermediaries, no franchises, full Swiss quality assurance.
Special Tuition Support
Benefit from extensive tuition assistance and scholarships that make world-class education accessible.
Local Academic Support
SwissEdu’s local support system enables an efficient, secure, and cost-effective learning experience.
Part of the SmartUni Strategy
SwissEdu⁺ realises a key component of SIMI Swiss’s Smart University (SmartUni) strategy by integrating technology with specialised pedagogical approaches, thereby enhancing learning effectiveness, optimising costs, and removing geographical barriers.
Swiss Excellence · Partner Recognition
Earn partner university qualifications.
SwissEdu⁺ was created from the understanding that studying directly with SIMI Swiss may not be accessible to everyone due to tuition costs. We open the door to the excellence of Swiss education through a more affordable pathway, allowing learners to study within the SIMI academic framework while receiving qualifications awarded by our international partner universities.
SwissEdu⁺
Frequently Asked Questions
Swiss Digital Higher Education
What is SwissEdu⁺?
SwissEdu⁺ is a Swiss Digital Higher Education Platform, providing academic and technological infrastructure for the delivery of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in a digital environment, based on a model of standardisation, digitalisation, and cross-recognition of learning outcomes.
Why do I always see a (+) after SwissEdu?
The (+) symbol represents the Mapping Plus model, which enables programmes delivered on the digital higher education platform to be cross-recognised by partner universities, provided that such programmes meet and are recognised in accordance with the relevant academic standards. This symbol serves as an assurance of the recognised status of programmes offered on SwissEdu⁺.
At the same time, as SwissEdu is a Swiss digital higher education system, the (+) symbol also carries symbolic meaning, representing the cross on the Swiss national flag.
Is SwissEdu⁺ a university?
No.
SwissEdu⁺ is not a university. SwissEdu™ is a Digital Higher Education Platform that provides academic and technological infrastructure for programme delivery in a digital environment; academic teaching is undertaken by SIMI Swiss, while the recognition and awarding of qualifications fall within the authority of duly authorised partner institutions in accordance with their respective regulations.
DoesSwissEdu⁺ directly award degrees?
No.
SwissEdu⁺ does not directly award qualifications; the awarding of qualifications is carried out by authorised institutions based on recognised learning outcomes and demonstrated competencies, in accordance with their respective regulations.
Is SwissEdu⁺ a third-party education delivery platform?
No.
SwissEdu⁺ delivers its own academic programmes, does not distribute outsourced content or operate as an intermediary; partner institutions participate solely in academic benchmarking and the cross-recognition of learning outcomes.
How are SwissEdu⁺ programmes designed?
SwissEdu⁺ programmes are designed and standardised around a competency-based framework, focusing on learning outcomes, practical skills, and verifiable evidence of learning rather than study duration alone.
Programmes are delivered consistently through a digital environment, with clear processes for assessment, learning record management, and verification, providing a sound basis for academic benchmarking and cross-recognition by authorised institutions in accordance with applicable regulations.
What does “cross-recognition” mean in the SwissEdu⁺ model?
SwissEdu⁺ model, “cross-recognition” refers to an academic mechanism whereby learners’ learning outcomes and demonstrated competencies are benchmarked against the academic requirements of authorised educational institutions for the purpose of recognition. This process does not constitute a guarantee of qualification awarding, but represents an independent evaluation carried out in accordance with each institution’s own standards, regulations, and authority.
Does SwissEdu⁺ guarantee that qualifications will be recognised in all countries?
No.
SwissEdu⁺ is not responsible for independent decisions made by third parties, including but not limited to partner universities, accreditation bodies, government authorities, or professional organisations.
What are the core benefits of the SwissEdu⁺ model for learners?
Learners benefit from:
- Studying competency-standardised programmes, independent of intermediary providers
- Being assessed based on demonstrated competencies and verifiable learning evidence
- Having transparent learning records for benchmarking and consideration of recognition
- Clearly understanding the distinction between education delivery, assessment, and qualification awarding
- Cost savings compared with obtaining qualifications directly from SIMI Swiss
Is SwissEdu⁺ suitable for cross-border education?
Yes.
SwissEdu⁺ is designed to support cross-border education in a digital environment, while fully respecting the legal authority and educational regulations of each jurisdiction. Its model of standardisation, digitalisation, and cross-recognition enables consistent delivery, transparency, and academic benchmarking across different education systems.
Does SwissEdu⁺ replace the role of partner universities?
No.
SwissEdu⁺ does not replace the role of partner universities. Partner universities retain full authority over academic recognition and the awarding of qualifications, in accordance with their own regulations and institutional responsibilities.
Which learner groups is SwissEdu⁺ suitable for?
SwissEdu⁺ is suitable for competency-oriented learners who seek a flexible digital learning environment and require transparent, benchmarkable learning outcomes that may be considered for recognition, particularly in cross-border education contexts.
Does SwissEdu⁺ ensure legal compliance to minimise risks for learners?
Yes.
SwissEdu⁺ is designed with legal clarity and compliance at its core. The model clearly distinguishes the roles of programme delivery, digital platform, and qualification awarding, avoids commitments beyond its authority, and operates in accordance with applicable regulations. This approach helps reduce legal risk for learners while ensuring transparency and responsible academic practice.
How is SwissEdu⁺ different from “traditional online learning”?
Traditional online learning is a mode of study, whereas SwissEdu⁺ is a digital higher education infrastructure operated as a complete academic system.
What is a Digital Higher Education Platform?
A Digital Higher Education Platform is a system that integrates digital technological infrastructure with a standardised academic framework to deliver, manage, and support undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in a digital environment. It is not a higher education institution and does not directly award qualifications, but serves as an academic and delivery infrastructure, enabling authorised institutions to teach, assess, verify learning outcomes, and undertake benchmarking and recognition in accordance with applicable regulations.
Is a Digital Higher Education Platform an intermediary online training platform?
No.
A Digital Higher Education Platform is not an intermediary online training platform. The two models differ fundamentally in nature, role, and academic responsibility.
Intermediary platforms primarily distribute third-party courses and do not maintain full control over academic standards or learning outcomes. In contrast, a Digital Higher Education Platform serves as an academic and technological infrastructure, delivers standardised programmes, digitises the entire learning process, and supports the benchmarking and recognition of learning outcomes by authorised institutions.
Therefore, a Digital Higher Education Platform should not be grouped with intermediary online training platforms.
What are the core advantages of the Digital Higher Education Platform model?
The core advantages of the Digital Higher Education Platform model lie in its ability to combine academic rigour with digital infrastructure, enabling it to:
- Maintain academic integrity comparable to formal higher education through standardised learning outcomes and assessment
- Scale through digitalisation without compromising educational quality
- Support competency-based recognition, independent of whether learning is online or face-to-face
- Ensure legal clarity and transparency by clearly separating programme delivery, platform operation, and qualification awarding
- Enable cross-border education, with learning data that can be traced, benchmarked, and considered for recognition
In summary, this model represents a sustainable academic–technological infrastructure, fundamentally distinct from intermediary online training platforms and well suited to the long-term evolution of higher education.